Escambia County To Hold Public Hearing On Updating Laws To Say ‘Gulf of America’
July 6, 2025
The Escambia County Commission will hold a public hearing near week to find out what the public things about changing the wording in county ordinances to “Gulf of America”.
Currently, there are nearly two dozen ordinances — related to Perdido Key, dog parks, littering and more — that mention “Gulf of Mexico”.
The change would follow bills signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April changing Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in textbooks and state law.
The county’s sign welcoming visitors to Pensacola Beach was updated to Gulf of America several weeks ago.
The public hearing is scheduled for 5:31 p.m. on Thursday, July 10 during a county commission meeting on the first floor of the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building in downtown Pensacola.
Wahoos Fall 6-4 To Shuckers
July 6, 2025
written by Willie Phaler
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped their second game in a row Saturday night, falling to the Biloxi Shuckers 6-4.
Thomas White displayed nasty stuff on the mound for the Wahoos as he made his third start of the season in Double-A, and first before representing the Marlins organization in the All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta next weekend. Across 4.2 IP, the Marlins’ top prospect struck out seven Shuckers batters and allowed only three singles.
After a near hour-long delay due to wet grounds, the Blue Wahoos hopped out to an early lead. Catcher Spencer Bramwell opened the scoring, smacking his fourth home run of the year to put the Wahoos up 1-0 in the second. Dalvy Rosario added another run in the fifth with a double to left-center, scoring Johnny Olmstead from first base.
As White’s command waned near the end of his start, Biloxi pushed across three runs in the fifth courtesy of a Zavier Warren two-out, two-run single and a passed ball that enabled Mike Boeve to score.
Michael Snyder picked up a big two-out hit of his own for the Blue Wahoos in the top of the seventh, sending a two-run single to right field that gave Pensacola a brief 4-3 lead.
Biloxi responded swiftly in their half of the seventh, as Darrien Miller belted a three-run home run out to right off of Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (L, 4-4), to take the lead back for good at 6-4.
The Blue Wahoos were unable to find much offense after Snyder’s RBIs in the seventh against Zach Peek (W, 2-0), as Ryan Middendorf and Tyler Bryant (S, 1) shut the door with a scoreless eighth and ninth.
The Blue Wahoos will finish their series in Biloxi on Sunday, with Dax Fulton (3-6, 4.06 ERA) taking the mound to face off with K.C. Hunt (4-4, 4.68 ERA) for the Shuckers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
McDavid Man Riding A Lawnmower Struck And Killed On Highway 29 Friday Evening
July 5, 2025
A man riding a lawnmower was struck and killed on Highway 29 Friday night.
The 61-year-old McDavid man was driving a Cub Cadet lawnmower in the right northbound travel lane of Highway 29 near Bogia around 7:30 p.m., according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A Honda sedan, driven by an 18-year-old female from McKenzie, Alabama, was also northbound on Highway 29 in the right northbound lane and approached the mower from behind.
“The driver of the Honda did not see the individual on the riding lawnmower with enough time to adequately apply the brakes in time to avoid a collision,” FHP said, noting that the speed limit in the area is 65 mph. “As a result, the front of the Honda sedan collided with the rear of the riding lawnmower.” The lawnmower was pulling an unoccupied children’s wagon.
The McDavid man was pronounced deceased at the scene. The teen was uninjured.
The crash closed northbound Highway 29 for several hours as FHP investigated the crash, which was about two miles south of the McDavid Fire Department.
The McDavid, Century and Molino stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded, along with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County EMS.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses This Month In Molino, Cantonment, Jay, Milton
July 5, 2025
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety internet-completion courses in Molino, Cantonment, Jay and Milton. Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Participants must take the online course before attending a class.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The two-day events will be held as follows, and you must have completed an online hunter safety course and have a copy of the completion certificate or field day voucher prior to taking a Field Day.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
- July 7, 6 p.m. and August 2, 9 a.m. — Escambia County Extension, Cantonment
- July 14, 6 p.m. and August 2, 9 a.m. — Molino Community Center
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
- June 22, 6 p.m. and June 28, 9 a.m. — Santa Rosa Extension, Milton
- July 21 6 p.m., and August 2, 8 a.m. — Jay United Methodist Church
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes or by calling FWC safety coordinator Jeff Schumacher at (850) 767-3612 for more information or email.
Escambia Animal Shelter Free Cat And Dog Adoptions Today Through July 19
July 5, 2025
The animal shelter in Escambia County has free cat and dog adoptions through July.
Adoptions are free for cats and dogs one year or older. Puppies are available for $50 and kittens are $25. An $11 licensing fee will be applied to all adoptions for Escambia County residents.
The shelter is once again. taking part in the Bissell Pet Foundation “Empty the Shelters” event.
Since its inception in 2016, Empty the Shelters has helped more than 324,000 pets find loving homes and is now the largest funded adoption event in the country. The program partners with more than 815 animal welfare organizations across 49 states and Canada.
View all adoptable pets at the Animal Welfare and Adoption Center on 24petconnect.com.
The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Fire Marshal Investigating Fire That Destroyed A Bratt House Possibly Occupied By Squatters
July 5, 2025
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a suspicious fire that destroyed a home in Bratt Friday afternoon.
The vacant house, which authorities say had no active utilities, was a total loss. Investigators are looking into whether squatters may have been present before the fire.
The 1,400 square foot wood-frame home in the 4400 block of Rigby Road was fully engulfed in fire when the first firefighters arrived on scene.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Molino, and Century stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the blaze, along with the Atmore Fire Department.
The fire, which was reported about 3:05 p.m., was declared under control around 3:50 p.m. There were not injuries.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHP Seeks Driver With Only Two Front Teeth In Cantonment Hit And Run (With New Photo)
July 5, 2025
The Florida Highway Patrol is still asking for the public’s help in locating a Jeep involved in a hit-and-run crash on Highway 29 last month.
NorthEscambia.com has now obtained dashcam images from FHP of the alleged hit-and-run driver.
About 2 p.m. on Monday, June 2, a gray Jeep Gladiator was observed traveling north on Highway 29 near Highway 95A in Cantonment. FHP says the Jeep failed to stop for traffic ahead, which resulted in it rear-ending a white Lincoln Navigator. The Jeep driver stopped briefly before fleeing north on Highway 29 toward Molino. Before he fled, he was captured on an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office dashcam, but the tag number is unreadable.
The driver of the Navigator described the driver of the Jeep as a white male in his 50s with only two front teeth and a blister on his left foot, according to troopers.
The Jeep Gladiator was described as having orange accent accessories with a small, unknown number Alabama tag. It was last seen northbound on Highway 29 passing Well Line Road.
“It is unknown at the time of the investigation if there is damage to the Jeep,” FHP said.
Anyone with information is asked to call *FHP.
Images from NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Fall to Shuckers On The Fourth Of July
July 5, 2025
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t contain the Biloxi Shuckers or their sellout crowd on Friday night, falling 10-4 in front of a raucous Independence Day audience.
After overcoming an early 3-0 deficit, the Blue Wahoos couldn’t answer seven middle-inning Biloxi runs as the Shuckers racked up 10 total runs for the second time in four games.
Ike Buxton (L, 0-2) ran into trouble right away in the first inning, falling behind 2-0 on a bases-loaded walk to Zavier Warren and Ethan Murray double play grounder. The Shuckers added another in the second inning on a Jheremy Vargas run-scoring fielder’s choice, taking a 3-0 advantage.
The Blue Wahoos rallied back against Shuckers starter Tate Kuehner (W, 7-4), as Tony Bullard hit a solo homer in the third inning to get on the board. A Johnny Olmstead RBI double and Ryan Ignoffo RBI single in the fourth inning briefly tied the game 3-3.
The Shuckers quickly answered and took the lead for good, scoring three runs against Buxton in their half of the fourth inning. RBI singles from Vargas and Luis Lara marked the end of the night for the Pensacola starter, and reliever Alex Williams fared little better. The righty allowed three more runs in the fifth on RBI doubles from Murray and Matthew Wood, and another in the sixth on a Warren RBI single.
Ignoffo doubled in the seventh and scored on a wild pitch for the fourth Pensacola run, but the Biloxi bullpen effectively protected the lead to secure a 10-4 final in front of a sellout crowd of 6098 fans.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Saturday night. First pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Food Safety Tips For A Happier Fourth Of July
July 4, 2025
Due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, foodborne illness increases in summer. Stay healthy and safe during warmer months by following these food safety recommendations from the USDA:
When bringing food to a picnic or cookout:
- Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.
- Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry, and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta, or seafood); cut up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.
- A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.
- Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that your food stays colder longer.
When cooking on the grill:
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.
- Keep perishable food cold until it is ready to cook.
- Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked thoroughly to their safe minimum internal temperatures
- Beef, Pork, Lamb, & Veal (steaks, roasts, and chops): 145 °F with a 3 minute rest time
- Ground meats: 160 °F
- Whole poultry, poultry breasts, & ground poultry: 165 °F
- Always use a fresh, clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry to serve the food once it is cooked.
When serving food outdoors:
- Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.
- Serve cold food in small portions, and keep the rest in the cooler. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served – at 140 °F or warmer.
- Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook.
Cost of 4th Of July Cookout Reaches Remains High, Farm Bureau Says
July 4, 2025
Families celebrating the Fourth of July holiday continue to find high prices at the grocery store, based on the 2025 American Farm Bureau Federation annual marketbasket survey. An Independence Day cookout will cost $70.92 for 10 guests this year.
This is down only 30 cents from last year’s record-high cost. At $7.09 per person, 2025 will be the second-highest cost since Farm Bureau began the survey in 2013. The cookout favorites include cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, among other products. While the survey does not include an exhaustive list of Fourth of July options, it serves as a snapshot of prices families are facing this summer.
“Inflation and lower availability of some food items continue to keep prices stubbornly high for America’s families,” said AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub. “High prices don’t mean more money for farmers, however. Farmers are price takers, not price makers. Their share of the food retail dollar is just 15%. The cost of running their farm is up, from labor and transportation, to taxes.”
The marketbasket survey shows an increase in the cost of beef, potato salad and canned pork and beans, while there are drops in the cost of pork chops, chips and hamburger buns.
Volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, collected data from stores in every state and Puerto Rico. Prices before the holiday may not reflect sales and specials at individual stores.
Individual Prices, AFBF 2025 Summer Cookout
2 pounds of ground beef, $13.33 (+4.4%)
2 pounds of chicken breasts, $7.79 (-0.5%)
3 pounds of pork chops, $14.13 (-8.8%)
1 pound of cheese, $3.54 (-0.9%)
1 package of hamburger buns, $2.35 (-2.6%)
2 ½ pounds of homemade potato salad, $3.54 (+6.6%)
32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.69 (+8.2%)
16-ounce bag of potato chips, $4.80 (-2.1%)
13-ounce package of chocolate chip cookies, $4.00 (+0.3%)
½ gallon of ice cream, $5.69 (+0.7%)
2 pints of strawberries, $4.69 (+1.7%)
2 ½ quarts of lemonade, $4.37 (+4.2%)